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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rash · racket · rush · row · tube · pit · net · cabinet

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. net — after costs
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. rash — hasty
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. net — for catching
  10. row — a line
  11. tube — the underground
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rash — a series
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. tube — a container
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pit — a hole
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pit — in a race
  23. row — to paddle
  24. cabinet — ministers

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com